ANTIQUE IMPERIAL ANCESTOR PORTRAIT OF A COURT OFFICIAL OR EMPEROR, 31IN x 74IN (79cm x 188cm)

拍品描述

A finely rendered Chinese imperial ancestor portrait, executed in ink and mineral pigments on silk and mounted as a traditional hanging scroll. The composition depicts a dignified male figure seated frontally on a ceremonial throne, dressed in a vivid red Qing court robe adorned with a crane mandarin square, signifying first-rank civil official status, the highest rank within the imperial bureaucracy. The sitter wears a formal Qing court hat and beaded court necklace (chaozhu), further reinforcing elite rank and ceremonial function. The rigid frontal pose, symmetrical composition, and hieratic presentation are characteristic of ancestral veneration portraits, which served as ritual objects within family ancestral halls rather than narrative or expressive artworks. Such portraits were intended as spiritual representations of the deceased, used during ceremonial offerings and commemorations. The scroll bears a traditional title strip reading “Portrait of a Qing Filial Emperor” an honorific designation commonly used in commemorative or devotional portraits and not necessarily identifying a specific historical emperor. A large red seal is present, consistent with courtly or studio seals seen on Qing-period and later commemorative works. The painting is mounted in a silk brocade surround and is accompanied by its original fitted storage box, bearing old handwritten inventory notes identifying the work as a Qing imperial portrait and recording its dimensions. The presence of the box enhances both provenance continuity and collector appeal. Based on stylistic features, materials, and mounting, this work is best dated to the late Qing dynasty to early Republic period (circa 1880–1920). While not an imperial palace commission, it represents a high-quality example of the genre produced for elite families and ceremonial use. Acquired from a Metro-Washington DC estate, and it is retained with its original storage box bearing early inventory annotations. It measures 31 inches x 74 inches. FREE SHIPPING FOR THIS SCROLL WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA., 31IN x 74IN (79cm x 188cm), LOT REF #26-148

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